Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine Can Be Used As Booster: EU Medical Body
A booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine Janssen may be considered at least two months after the first dose in people aged 18 years and above, the European Medicines Agency said.
The European Medicines Agency said Wednesday that Johnson & Johnson's Covid vaccine can be used as a booster shot two months after the first dose was administered, or after receiving other mRNA shots.
"EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP) has concluded that a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine Janssen may be considered at least two months after the first dose in people aged 18 years and above," the watchdog said in a statement, sing the vaccine's commercial name.
This is the third vaccine after Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna that the Amsterdam-based agency has approved for a booster for adults.
"A booster dose with Covid-19 vaccine Janssen may be given after two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines authorised in the EU," it added.
It said it was closely monitoring possible side effects, which it had not currently been reported.
"The risk of thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia (TTS) or other very rare side effects after a booster is not known and is being carefully monitored."
Some governments are urging citizens to get booster shots as Covid cases are on the rise again globally, including in several European countries battling fresh waves.
Scientists have said that booster shots appear to protect people against the highly-mutated Omicron variant, detected in South Africa last month, which initial research suggests may be more contagious.
The EMA has so far approved four vaccines for adults in the European Union: the messenger RNA vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, along with viral vector vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
"EMA's human medicines committee (CHMP) has concluded that a booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine Janssen may be considered at least two months after the first dose in people aged 18 years and above," the watchdog said in a statement, sing the vaccine's commercial name.
This is the third vaccine after Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna that the Amsterdam-based agency has approved for a booster for adults.
"A booster dose with Covid-19 vaccine Janssen may be given after two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines authorised in the EU," it added.
It said it was closely monitoring possible side effects, which it had not currently been reported.
"The risk of thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia (TTS) or other very rare side effects after a booster is not known and is being carefully monitored."
Some governments are urging citizens to get booster shots as Covid cases are on the rise again globally, including in several European countries battling fresh waves.
Scientists have said that booster shots appear to protect people against the highly-mutated Omicron variant, detected in South Africa last month, which initial research suggests may be more contagious.
The EMA has so far approved four vaccines for adults in the European Union: the messenger RNA vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, along with viral vector vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.